While chocolate may be a guilty pleasure to most, to Barg it’s the ultimate
delivery system for nutrition. “A focus in my practice was developing the skill of
listening to the body’s natural cravings and discovering healthful ways to satisfy
them,” she says. “I saw absolutely no reason to remove chocolate from my
clients’ diets since this cherished indulgence is one of the most nourishing
foods on the planet for the body, mind and spirit, especially when the cacao is
in its raw, unaltered state.”
But raw cacao was just the first step. As a graduate of the Institute for Inte-
grative Nutrition, a board-certified health counselor and a raw foodist with a
passion for traditional, naturopathic medicines, Barg put together a host of su-
perfoods, herbs and botanicals to infuse into her line of healthy chocolates.
Each creation was specifically designed to perform a function and help the
body’s systems work in holistic harmony.
Chocolate-Dipped Health. In 2008, superfoods such as raw cacao beans, goji
berries, maca and lucuma were becoming available thanks to raw food leader
David Wolfe. Barg spent countless
hours scouring the shelves of stores
and searching the internet for sources
of these ingredients and other medici-
nal herbs in bulk, and then packed as
many into her chocolate as possible
(while still making sure it was pleasing
to the palate). The Immune Boost bar
for example, contains over 20 ingredi-
ents to help prevent physical illness as
well the winter blues. SuperChoc, Gno-
sis’s number-one seller, is a fusion of in-
gredients used in Indian ayurvedic,
Chinese and South American medi-
cine. These include antioxidants, su-
perfoods for the brain, healing tonics
for the blood and adaptogens (shown
to balance the hormonal system). Here
are just a few super-ingredients used in
SuperChoc:
• Blue-Green Algae: (in every Gnosis
bar)shown to heighten clarity, con-
centration and creativity and stabi-
lize mood swings. It’s also made up
of 50 to 70 percent protein and con-
tains vitamins A, E, cyanocobalamin,
niacin, choline, folic acid, thiamine,
chlorophyll, copper, magnesium,
zinc and potassium. Shown to have
antiviral and anticancer properties,
and linked to weight loss and lower-
ing cholesterol.
• Maca Root: protein-packed, builds
stamina, energy and sexual potency.
Incan warriors took it to battle to increase strength and endurance.
• Siberian Ginsing: boosts the immune system and increases energy.
It may also improve memory/con-centration, regulate blood pressure,
reduce inflammation and lower
blood sugar levels.
• Gotu Kola: used for centuries as a
tonic to benefit the brain and enhance cognitive function.
• Reishi Mushrooms: adaptogen and
antiviral and anti-inflammatory that
also assists in respiration by enhancing oxygen absorption.
• Ginkgo Biloba: helps improve blood
flow within microcapillaries, which
Gnosis’ Immune Boost bar contains over
20 super-ingredients. Here are just a few:
• persimmons (vitamin A & C, fiber)
• pumpkin seeds (zinc, magnesium,
l-tryptophan for depression)
• blood orange essential oil (
aromather-apy: brightly antidepressant)
• fennel pollen (one of the only foods
containing vitamin D)
• echinacea (activates white blood cells
for immunity)
• rose hips (loaded with vitamin C,
anthocyanins, anti-inflammatory)
• elderberry (anthocyanins enhance im-
mune function by boosting the pro-
duction of cytokines)l
• ginseng (ginsenosides for endurance,
stamina, stress reduction)
Fighting Off a Cold (and Winter
Blues) Has Never Tasted So Good
mixes, drinking chocolates, plus custom orders and private label products.
What’s even more impressive is that Barg has been able to do this without taking on partners, accruing debt, hiring brokers or marketing firms, or giving
away chunks of her chocolate company in exchange for capital.
From the beginning, it has also been Barg’s goal to create a product that is
not only healthy for the body but also good for the planet and communities she
works with. This has led to everything from ultra-eco-friendly packaging to projects to help children in Grenada and plant fruit trees for the hungry around
the world. Through her regularly updated blogs and strong online community,
Barg shares details on all of this as well as other issues she is passionate about—
using her chocolate as a means to deliver a message as well as a healthy Rx.
With New Year’s resolutions to eat healthier and do more good in the
world—and Valentine’s Day just around the corner—healthy, socially responsible chocolate may be the perfect answer. (And if you want to heat things to a
whole new level of romance, try Chocolate Girl’s Aphrodisia, available in a bar,
as well as a “hot” chocolate mix.) From firing up your romance to cooling off
your nerves, lowering your glycemic response to increasing your immunity—
Chocolate Girl has a confection that can save the day.
